Wednesday, December 06, 2017

MY SHEER DISGUST

I believe I have reached my limit with the political climate
in this country. I have not always agreed with any one political party or
politician. I’ve always believed those best qualified to serve the people, who
respect the constitution and honor the basic principles of right and wrong
should serve with our full support. But they should also be questioned,
challenged, and made to defend their position if it goes against the grain of basic
human decency.

Since the Presidential election we have watched the GOP
ceremoniously rip this country to shreds. Their motivations have been about
party and privilege. They’ve been selfish, self-indulgent and the results for
some will be catastrophic. They have continually shown the American people that
they just don’t give a damn about the impoverished or the middle class, minorities
and immigrants and simply being forthright and decent is out of the realm of
their abilities.

What galls me most is how so many of our Republican law makers
grandstand on a platform of conservative morality when they show us daily that
they truly have no morals. There is no code of right and wrong if it goes
against the will of the party and the will of the party is now being dictated
by a racist, homophobic demagogue who barely has command of the English language,
hates women and has made us the laughing stock of the international community.
It’s even more telling that so many Democrats have stood idly by and have said
or done absolutely nothing.

Pandering to the whims of our current president has become a
new art form. The ass-kissing was one thing, but we have too many individuals who
routinely lie to defend him. They lie to excuse his actions. They condone his
bad behavior and lie as they rationalize why. Integrity has been forsaken in
his name and many have besmirched their reputations to have him pat them on the
back. I often wonder, when the ink dries on his tenure, if the likes of Paul Ryan,
Mitch McConnell, or Sarah Huckabee will be able to look their grandchildren in
the eye and proudly defend the stances they took?

The Obama presidency was unprecedented. A black man, loved by many and respected
by most, lifted this country to new heights and that good old boy network has
been biting at the bit to dismantle his hard work. From day one they vowed to
undermine him, wanting him to fail. When he excelled, they lost their collective
minds. For the current regime, undoing President Obama’s work has become more
important than representing their constituents and the needs of the American
people. When healthcare becomes a thing of the past, available only to the wealthy,
they will feel successful. When we are no longer the land of the free, but the
land of the oppressed and downtrodden, they will celebrate their success. They
will have a wall to commemorate their hard work. Bricks and mortar to keep out
people of color will be their greatest legacy. You can see the writing on the
wall with every bill that’s been signed since the elections and every policy
change that is held up for consideration.

Under the new guard, white supremacy is no longer hiding in its
mother’s basement. Racists and bigots have taken off their hoods and walk the
halls of the White House dictating and influencing policy. They recline in
their senate seats and wait for the Grand Wizard to nod in their directions,
waving his magic wand over the next poor soul they can inflict pain and
heartache upon. It’s tragic, and it’s infuriating.

Now, we are supposed to sit idly by and commend the GOP as
they condone the most wretched acts that can be committed against a woman or
child. It began with the normalization of sexual battery, the president-elect
gleefully boasting about physically molesting women. His taped confession was
dismissed as locker room banter and boys being boys. Now, they are supporting
an alleged pedophile and child-molester. A man accused of preying on teenage
girls for his own perverse pleasure. If this is their Republican morality, then every
one of them who defends, ignores and accepts this behavior deserves to go
straight to hell. Do not pass go. Do not collect a damn thing. Just go right to
hell! People have become commodities, their value reduced to a bottom line for
private interests. Biblical tenets have been corrupted and flagrant disregard
for the welfare of others is suddenly habitual.

I keep waiting for one Republican to challenge the status
quo, to castigate the bad behavior which has become as prevalent as breathing. Just
one man or woman with a set of brass balls willing to do what is fundamentally
right. I had high hopes for Senator John McCain out of Arizona. Earlier this
year, when he cast a decisive vote that effectively torpedoed efforts to repeal
the health care law, his efforts spoke volumes. He wouldn’t support what was
rushed to the table and had not been thoroughly vetted and debated. He stood up
for what was best for the American public. His recent support of tax reform legislation
that will probably do more harm than good, a 500-plus page tome with
handwritten interjections slid in at the last hour, says he too may now have
been swayed by the Kool-Aid, his balls more putty than brass. I couldn’t help
but wonder what concessions he has been promised in return for his yes on a
bill rushed to the table without being vetted or debated.

The few who have made any genuine effort to do what is right
are quickly maligned or discredited. Or worse, they speak the truth as they’re
walking out the door. Frustrated by the sheer absurdity of the situation we
find ourselves in, they are no longer interested in staying in the fight.

Meghan McCain, the daughter of Senator John McCain and a
co-host on The View regularly defends the president’s conservative base,
touting her understanding of Red America and the mindset that supports this
Republican agenda. There is righteous indignation when she rails against liberals
for perpetrating so-called fake news and their media bias. She has said that we
don’t understand her people. I’m not sure that the flagrant attacks against
people of color, the disrespect for those who are not blonde and blue-eyed, the
habitual lying, the whitewashing of history and the gravity of tweeting insults
at people when one is called out on their bullshit really needs any
explanation. Wrong is wrong no matter how you might want to paint it.

The people of Alabama have quite a
dilemma on their hands. It’s been said that most don’t believe the media reports
of candidate Roy Moore’s alleged sexual assault allegations. Conspiracy
theories about Democratic intrusion, and media hijinks abound. His supporters
have called his alleged victims liars. intent on taking a good man down. But
putting all of that aside, Moore’s record speaks volumes without the added
finger-pointing. He has consistently preached from the Bible of Steve Bannon, proclaiming
his Christian-values justification for his homophobic, racist, misogynistic beliefs
and attitude. The Christ I know would not have been pleased. The deity I pray
to, whose words I follow, proclaim love for all, not hate for some. Moore, like
his presidential mentor, is banking on that Republican base turning a blind eye
because they believe the party should always come before the country. How they
vote, could potential shred any fibers of dignity the United States have left.

I pray that people come out in
droves to support Doug Jones. For those in Alabama who don’t, good luck
explaining to your daughters and granddaughters that sacrificing their virtue was
just a hazard of our political process. That in the scheme of things, they
really don’t matter. That sending a politician who’s been accused of violating
little girls to the United States Senate, like they sent one to the White
House, is far more important than justice for any alleged victim. That
disregarding the morality in their moral code is perfectly fine when it suits
their personal agendas.

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Deborah Fletcher Mello

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BIOGRAPHY

Although she considers home to be wherever the moment moves her, Deborah Fletcher Mello was born and raised in Connecticut and maintains base camp in rural North Carolina. In addition to crafting fiction and poetry, her writing experience encompasses twenty-plus years of scripting technical resources and training documentation for numerous corporations throughout the United States and abroad. A true renaissance woman, Deborah's many career paths have included working as a retail buyer and size model for a national women's clothing chain, a finance manager for a well-known beverage organization, a sales manager for an infamous candy company, a telecommunications administrator and corporate trainer for a hotel-owning company, an art gallery director for a world-renowned artist, and an administrative consultant for multiple organizations throughout the United States. Although currently inactive, Deborah is also a licensed real estate broker and general building contractor. Deborah's first writing endeavors began in junior high school when she scribbled poetry into a science class lab book. An astute teacher encouraged those initial writings and in 1986, Deborah placed second in the Stamford Festival of the Arts Literary Competition for her nonfiction essay, The Eyes of My Children. In 1995, Deborah won the Good Housekeeping / Kindercare Essay Contest with her entry, What I Want For My Son. In 2000, Deborah's fictional novel, Rested Waters, was one of three finalists in the Sonja H. Stone Fiction Competition judged by author, Edwidge Danicat. Deborah's first novel, Take Me To Heart, published by BET Books' Arabesque imprint was released in December 2003 and was a 2004 Romance SlamJam Best New Author nominee. In 2008, Deborah won the Romantic Times Reviewers Choice award for Best Series Romance for her ninth novel, TAME A WILD STALLION. Her book CRAVING TEMPTATION was named one of Publisher's Weekly Best Books for 2014 and was also nominated for a 2015 Emma Award for Book of the Year. As well, her novel PLAYING FOR KEEPS was a Library Journal Best of 2015 and winner of the Romantic Times Reviewer’s Choice award for Best Multicultural Romance. For Deborah, writing is as necessary as breathing. Weaving a story that leaves her audience feeling full and complete, as if they've just enjoyed an incredible meal, is an ultimate thrill for her.

Follow Me With

Our Deepest Fear by Marianne Williamson

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others."